Latest news with #HwangDongHyuk
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Squid Game' Season 3 Keeps Gripping Viewers as Netflix's No. 1 for 9 Days
'Squid Game' Season 3 Keeps Gripping Viewers as Netflix's No. 1 for 9 Days originally appeared on Parade. Netflix's Squid Game Season 3 shows no signs of slowing down as the hit K-drama continues to reign supreme. The streaming giant officially released the much-awaited and final season of the dystopian survival thriller on June 27 and created a huge buzz on social media. Not only that, the six-episode TV show has dominated the platform's global TV chart ever since. Since the sequel's debut, Squid Game Season 3 has remained the number one TV show on the platform, clinging to its throne for nine consecutive days, according to FlixPatrol, a company that tracks streaming rankings from over 90 countries. Besides securing the top spot globally, the Hwang Dong Hyuk-directed series is currently number one in 89 countries as of July 6. These include the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Brazil, Germany and more. The final season of the hit Korean series set a record-breaking launch after hitting 60.1 million views and 368.4 million hours watched on its first three days, making it the highest number Netflix has ever recorded for any show within its first three days since its debut. Season 3 centers on Seong Gi Hun's, played by Lee Jung Jae, pursuit of revenge following his failed rebellion, leading to a high-stakes confrontation with the enigmatic Front Man, portrayed by Lee Byung Hun. In addition to this intense showdown, several familiar faces return to the series, including Wi Ha Joon, Im Si Wan, Kang Ha Neul, Park Gyu Young, Park Sung Hoon, Yang Dong Geun, Kang Ae Shim, Jo Yu Ri and Lee David, among others. While the Korean chapter of Squid Game reaches its dramatic conclusion, speculation has been mounting about a possible American spin-off, especially after a surprise cameo by a Hollywood A-lister playing a mysterious agent that hinted at future global expansions.'Squid Game' Season 3 Keeps Gripping Viewers as Netflix's No. 1 for 9 Days first appeared on Parade on Jul 7, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Twist Ending Of Netflix's ‘Squid Game' Season 3, Explained
Cate Blanchett in the 'Squid Game' season 3 finale Netflix The third and final season of Squid Game is a dark descent into humanity's worst impulses, with a surprisingly hopeful ending—here's what season 3 was really about. Netflix's Squid Game holds up a dark mirror to the wealth inequality, greed and desperation of the current moment—in the third and final season, series creator Hwang Dong-Hyuk gave us a cynical, yet hopeful conclusion. Notably, some of the contestants have been drawn to the games due to gambling and crypto schemes. This time, the cruelty of the billionaires orchestrating Squid Game is matched by the greed of the contestants. One of the most important episodes of the first season sees the contestants voting to leave, then choosing to come back after experiencing the horrors of living with debt. In season 3, the choice of the contestants to stay is emphasized by the repeating votes held between each game—this time, the money is split between surviving members. Yet, we see the contestants continually choose to stay for a bigger take of the winnings, willing to sacrifice each another for the chance of a bigger number. There is nothing our saintly protagonist, player 456, Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) can say to change the majority's mind—Gi-hun's curse is that he is doomed to repeat the horrors of the past, despite knowing how it's all going to go down. In the finale of season 3, the deep greed of the contestants reveals itself in a horrifically calm, 'logical' conversation between the surviving group of men, who all happily agree to murder a baby in order to win the game. Humanity's greed reaches its height in the final instance of a father willing to kill his own baby girl. Thankfully, this is contrasted by Gi-hun's desperation to save the child, no matter what. Player 333, Myung-gi (played by Yim Si-wan) does his best to maneuver the group away from his helpless daughter, but ultimately makes a choice to murder her when he has the final say. Squid Game seems to imply that there is no end to the greed of humanity, no rock bottom to hit—only an bottomless pit. In this story, money is framed as a poisonous substance, a mind virus. Still, Squid Game suggests that the allure of money can be resisted. In the end, Gi-hun manages to triumph, and chooses to give up his own life for the baby, as the rules only allowed for a single survivor. His sacrifice inspires others, shifting the final outcome of the deadly game. Series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk wanted the moment to highlight the necessity of sacrificing for the younger generation. Hwang said, 'The message I wanted to communicate was that if we solely pursue our immediate self-interest, and refuse to self-restrain, sacrifice, or bear any costs — and if we don't put our heads together — we have no future.' Hence, the baby survives to inherit the fortune—the meaning of money is flipped, and now represents the baby's salvation. An interesting blend of triumph and cynicism pervades the finale, as the rebel guard No Eul (Park Gyu-young) manages to overpower the others, and free Gyeong-seok (Lee Jin-wook), who returns to his daughter. Families that were torn apart are reunited, as No Eul is given hope that her own daughter might be waiting for her in China. The Frontman (Lee Byung-hun) and his brother (Wi Ha-joon) reach the end of their personal game, with the Frontman having had a change of heart, inspired by Gi-hun's empathy. Hence, the island facility is destroyed, the baby is saved, and Squid Game has ended in Korea—but the games are not over. The very last scene is set in Los Angeles, where the Front Man witnesses an American recruiter playing Ddakji, luring another victim into the games, confirming that Squid Game is international. Gi-hun's Christ-like sacrifice can only do so much—the rot is worldwide. Of course, there could be another layer to this ending, as Netflix is surely seeking to monetize Squid Game and expand the franchise (ironic, given the anti-capitalist themes of the series). However, Hwang never intended that to be the message. "I wanted to convey that in this late capitalist society, the system remains strong, deeply entrenched, and powerful—and that these kinds of games are still continuing in the US," Hwang Dong-Hyuk told Vanity Fair. Is There Going To Be An American 'Squid Game' Spin-Off? An American Squid Game spin-off could be on the horizon, but without the involvement of Hwang, or Blanchett. In 2024, Deadline reported that an English-language Squid Game series from Fight Club director David Fincher was in the works, but the spin-off hasn't been officially confirmed by Netflix or Fincher. Hwang denies any knowledge of an American Squid Game spin-off, but has spoken positively of the idea: "I've always been a huge fan of David Fincher's work — from Se7en — and I've loved his films. So if he were to create an American Squid Game , I think that would be very interesting to watch. I would definitely click on it immediately after it's released, if it were to happen." MORE FROM FORBES Forbes HBO's 'The Last Of Us' Season 2 Finale, Explained By Dani Di Placido Forbes How Labubu Dolls Took Over The Internet By Dani Di Placido Forbes TikTok's '4th Of July Antipasto' Controversy, Explained By Dani Di Placido Forbes What Is 'Umamusume: Pretty Derby'? The Viral Horse Girl Game, Explained By Dani Di Placido
Geek Culture
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
'Squid Game' Season 3 Breaks Netflix Viewership Record
Within a mere 10 days, Squid Game Season 3 has amassed a total of 106.3 million views, becoming the first Netflix series, in any language, to achieve that in two weeks. This was after the popular Korean show jumped onto the streaming platform's list of most popular non-English series of all time in the 9th position, thanks to a whopping 60.1 million views garnered in just three days from its opening. As of this article, it has leapt up to the 3rd position, outranked only by its own earlier seasons. Top 10 Most Popular Non-English Shows of All Time Even factoring in Netflix's English-language shows, Squid Game Season 3's ranking is still outstanding, losing out only to Wednesday Season 1 (2022) with 252.1 million views, Adolescence (2025) with 142.6 million views, Stranger Things Season 4 (2016) with 140.7 million views, Dahmer: Monster (2022) with 115.6 million views, Bridgerton Season 1 (2020) with 113.3 million views and The Queen's Gambit (2020) with 112.8 million views, all of which had 91 days to attain those totals. Taking the time window into consideration, Squid Game Season 3 is highly likely to climb a few more ranks, given that it still has an ample 81 days before the viewership numbers are finalised. Top 10 Most Popular Shows of All Time The release of Squid Game Season 3 also brought positive externalities to its earlier two seasons, with Squid Game Season 2 (2024) and Squid Game Season 1 (2021) amassing 4.9 million views and 3.8 million views, respectively, within the period from 30 June to 6 July. With Squid Game Season 3 clocking in 46.3 million views within the same period, it has become the highest-viewed Netflix title for the week, with its two earlier seasons coming in at second and third place on the non-English chart. Top 10 Non-English Shows of the Week The second place for the highest-viewed Netflix title of the week goes to The Old Guard 2 , starring Charlize Theron ( Mad Max: Fury Road ) and Uma Thurman ( Kill Bill Vol. 1 ), which accumulated 37.5 million views. The film's release also drew attention to its predecessor, The Old Guard (2020), which garnered 9.5 million views in the same week. Top 10 Movies of the Week Meanwhile, KPop Demon Hunters also charted in third place for the highest-viewed Netflix title of the week, with 22.7 million views. This led it to rank second on the English movies chart as well for its second consecutive week. Conversation with Ting Wei is like chatting with a weird AI bot programmed only with One Piece lore and theories, sitcom quotes and other miscellaneous pop culture references. When he's not sleeping, he's highly likely reading manga. In fact, the only thing he reads more than manga is the Bible, and it's honestly pretty close. Netflix Squid Game Squid Game Season 3
CNET
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
'Squid Game' Season 3 Finally Jumped the Shark. Here's When It Happened
Squid Game, Netflix's global phenomenon, premiered its third and final season nearly two weeks ago. You probably know this. Heck, you've probably watched all six episodes already (and maybe you feel this is how it should've ended). I admit I have dropped the ball on staying up to date on the streamer's dystopian juggernaut. Some big twists, bloody kills and story reveals have already hit the internet. My excuse? Fatherhood. Yeah, I know that sounds like I'm using my daughter as a scapegoat here, but I can not watch Player 456/Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) and the gang partake in this death gauntlet while my 6-year-old is in the room. So, it was on the back burner for a bit there. The last time I wrote about Squid Game in any real depth, the second season's cliffhanger was still on every fan's mind. Questions regarding what the new games would look like, who will survive, how the climactic confrontation between the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) and Gi-hun will take place, and if the ones keeping Squid Game up and running will be brought to justice by Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) and his team were actively swirling. One thing I wasn't expecting, though, was the inclusion of a newborn baby into the mix. It was already established in season 2 that Player 222 was pregnant. But considering the show's sharp writing and unrelenting story stakes, I figured series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk was keeping some formidable story choices up his sleeve for the final season. Boy, was I wrong. Spoiler warning: Before I continue, please know there are major story spoilers featured below for season 3 of Squid Game. If you're reading this and have yet to finish the episodes, turn back now. Or, you know, don't. It's your choice. You do you, boo. Read more: Netflix Review: Our Top Pick in a Sea of Streaming Choices Getty Image/Zooey Liao/CNET Jo Yu-ri as Jun-hee/Player 222 in Squid Game season 3 on Netflix. No Ju-han/Netflix The first episode of season 3, Keys and Knives, doesn't waste any time, throwing viewers back into the bloody insanity of the Squid Game world. Hide-and-seek is the first new game. Players in red vests have to find and murder the ones in blue within 30 minutes or be eliminated. The players in blue have to either hide or find the exit before the time is up. As you should expect, the game was filled with copious amounts of bloodshed, back-stabbing and drama. And amid all of it, as the game progressed in episode 2, The Starry Night, Player 222 goes into labor. The CGI baby that caused all the ruckus in season 3 of Squid Game on Netflix. Netflix Before I get into all of my issues with this story choice and what comes next, I need to give you some backstory about myself. Assuming you read everything above, you already know I am a dad. In the year leading up to my daughter's birth, my wife and I took birthing classes. I learned that America's medical system is lacking in empathy or understanding in this arena and, unlike what is portrayed in the movies, when a woman's water breaks, it may take hours, or even days, before the baby is born. Also, as you may know, a newborn needs to be fed regularly -- like, every two hours, or so -- and it will scream and cry and let you know if you're not punctual. And as you can probably imagine, all these feedings lead to frequent diaper changes, too. As much as I showed up to offer support, there were just certain things my wife had to put her body through in order to care for our daughter. Suffice it to say, this whole experience gave me clearer eyes regarding the ways in which childbirth and child-rearing are depicted in entertainment. Kang-Ae-sim as Geum-ja/Player 149 and Jo Yu-ri as Jun-hee/Player 222 in Squid Game season 3 on Netflix. No Ju-han/Netflix Now that we're up to speed, let me get back to Squid Game. Within something like 10 minutes of having her water break, Player 222 gave birth to a baby girl who didn't let out that signature first scream upon taking her first few breaths. It cried, don't get me wrong; I suppose it was the best type of cry a CGI baby could accomplish. Nevertheless, that was the first sign that I may be watching a show that knows nothing about this subject matter. It got worse from there. Aside from the fact that active trauma can cause a woman's body to go into fight-or-flight mode, and make an active (and natural, for that matter) childbirth a more time-consuming and challenging process -- my wife, for instance, was in labor for four days -- I was suddenly watching characters reconcile the constant fear of being killed with the fact that they have new life on their hands. I get it. The baby is a symbol: Humanity's beacon of hope amid the show's greedy, classist themes. You've got to give the audience some light at the end of the tunnel. Seong Gi-hun/Player 456 takes the baby across the bridge in a deadly game of jump rope in Squid Game season 3 on Netflix. Netflix But, much like when The Walking Dead introduced baby Judith to the mix, I was immediately taken out of things. My investment in the series took a nose dive. Suddenly, it was clear to me that the baby would survive it all and, considering how crafty Dong-hyuk has shown himself to be with the show's big story twists, I began to have a sneaking suspicion that the newborn would end up winning the game... somehow. It brought me a weird mix of pleasure and disappointment to learn my prediction was right. But honestly, I no longer cared. As the season progressed, I watched as the newborn had no diaper changes, how Player 222 and her barely-day-old daughter slept peacefully all the way through the night, and how it was not fed on a regular schedule. I sat back and laughed at the sheer notion that Player 222 could get up and walk after giving birth, how it was acceptable for Gi-hun to strap the infant to his chest as he hustled through the show's unbelievable version of jump rope. Shaken baby syndrome or not, that was a baffling choice. And, after Player 222 decided to end her life and throw herself off a ledge, I threw my hands up in disbelief that the show was doubling down on this story choice. Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun/Player 456, holding a baby to his chest, preparing to play Jump Rope in Squid Game season 3 on Netflix. No Ju-han/Netflix I get it, this is a fictional series. A social satire. A bloody bit of escapism that took the world by storm. Still, if you want to keep things grounded and believable, maybe do a bit of research before you turn a CGI baby into a convenient and misinformed story tool. A scapegoat, even. Sorta like I did with my own daughter earlier in this article. Just a thought. Now, David Fincher's US spin-off is on the docket to keep this world alive. My advice? Please don't put baby in the Squid Game. That's all I ask. Squid Game is now streaming in its entirety on Netflix.
CNET
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
Squid Game Creator Reveals Alternate Ending That Fans Say Should've Been the Real One
Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has revealed that season 3 almost had a drastically different ending -- an ending that might have gone over better with fans still divided over how the hit series wrapped. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hwang said he originally wrote an ending where Player 456, Seong Gi-hun, leaves the deadly games behind for good. That's a sharp contrast to the version that made it to screen, where Gi-hun sacrifices his life in the end for the new Player 222. Hwang shared that his original plan for the Netflix series was far more hopeful. Gi-hun, the show's main character, would have ended the game, left alive and reunited with his daughter in the US. "In the beginning, I had a vague idea about how I would end the story. And back then, it was having Gi-hun end the game, in one way or another, and leave alive and go see his daughter in America," Hwang said. "So originally, I thought the person who witnesses the American recruiter woman would be Gi-hun." But over time, Hwang said the story evolved as he reflected on current events and the show's larger message. "I was witnessing more and more what was happening around the world," he said, and ultimately decided that Gi-hun's sacrifice should carry a heavier meaning. "I thought it was more fitting for Gi-hun to send this powerful and impactful message to the world," Hwang explained, adding that the darker ending was meant to reflect the urgent sacrifices needed in today's world to secure a better future. Read also: How to Watch Squid Game Season 3 on Netflix Audience reactions to the season 3 finale It's a choice that didn't sit well with a big chunk of the Squid Game fanbase. Some felt the final twist betrayed Gi-hun's character arc, especially after he spent two seasons suffering immense trauma and appearing to prioritize his family's safety. Others found it too bleak and open-ended, sparking passionate discussions -- and plenty of memes -- online. This isn't the first time a Squid Game finale has stirred controversy. When Season 1 premiered in 2021, the series became a global phenomenon almost overnight, smashing Netflix records and turning its bleak social commentary into must-watch television. But even then, the final episodes left fans divided. Now, Hwang's ending is fueling speculation about whether the show's final season will actually set up for a US spin-off show. Talk of a possible US spin-off Hwang emphasized that Cate Blanchett's surprise cameo as an American recruiter in the Los Angeles finale wasn't meant to set up a future spin-off, but rather to underline a broader thematic point. He clarified to The Hollywood Reporter that he "didn't end it on that note in order to deliberately leave room for further stories to happen," explaining that the storyline for Gi‑hun and the Front Man in Korea truly came to a close. He said that the American recruiter scene was crafted to symbolize the enduring nature of capitalist systems. That said, Hwang acknowledged rumors of a David Fincher–linked American version and said he'd watch it if it was made, but as of now, there's no official confirmation from Netflix. Read more: Netflix Review: Our Top Pick in a Sea of Streaming Choices
